The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel movement have once again failed to meet a crucial deadline to reach a peace agreement in Doha. This setback threatens to undermine fragile progress towards ending the protracted conflict in the country’s east.
A Qatar-led mediation effort set August 18 as the deadline for a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group. However, the deadline passed without an agreement, fuelling fears of escalating tensions and further instability in eastern DRC, where violence has resurged in recent months.
Fighting in eastern Congo intensified earlier this year as the M23 rebel group launched a new offensive, capturing significant territory, including areas near the regional capital, Goma.
The violence has displaced thousands of civilians and renewed accusations from Kinshasa that Rwanda continues to back the rebel movement, a charge Kigali denies.
Efforts to halt the conflict appeared to gain momentum in July when, under Qatari mediation, the Congolese government and M23 representatives signed a declaration of principles on 19 July.
The agreement committed both sides to open formal negotiations no later than 8 August, to reach a comprehensive peace deal by 18 August.
However, the AFC-M23 Movement stated on Sunday that further talks would only be possible if all commitments outlined in the declaration were fully respected. Among these, the M23 emphasised that the release of prisoners was a necessary precondition.
According to Reuters, a senior M23 figure told reporters that although the group would send a small delegation to Doha in the coming days, its participation was only to “reinforce the need to implement these measures before we can engage in negotiations.”
The Congolese authorities, for their part, argue that the issue of prisoners is too complex to be treated as a condition before negotiations continue.
According to a government source, the question of releases should instead be considered within the talks themselves. The same source confirmed that mediators had submitted a draft agreement and that both sides were now reviewing its content before the next round of discussions in Doha.
International voices have also weighed in as the situation worsens on the ground. Last week, the Congolese army accused the M23 of breaching the ceasefire by launching a series of attacks in the east.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk condemned the violence, stating: “All attacks against civilians must stop immediately, and all those responsible must be held to account.” His comments followed reports that 319 people had been killed in recent rebel assaults.
The rebels, however, maintain that it is government forces who have been targeting their positions in violation of previous commitments. The standoff underscores the mistrust that continues to characterise relations between the two sides, threatening to unravel any progress towards peace.
Despite the failure to meet the agreed deadline, Qatar has sought to keep both parties at the negotiating table. A Qatari official, speaking to Reuters, stressed that while the timeline outlined in the declaration of principles had not been met, both parties expressed a willingness to continue negotiations. By Nassima Babassa, Doha News